Garment-clasp.



No. 863,860. PATENTED AUG. 20, 1907. I

P. W. LOWE, GARMENT CLASP. APPLIOATION FILED FEB 11, 1907 jiz iziory M1272 ass es:

Maw. @WQ- 9% FRANK W. LOWE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

GARMENT-CLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1907.

Application filed February 11, 1907. Serial No. 356,659,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Garment-Clasps, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention particularly relates to that class of garment clasps which are especially adapted to be attached to the lower edge of a corset, where the material engaged is of considerable thickness, and a form of clasp is desired which cannot be readily disconnected.

My invention has for its object to provide a clasp of this character which may be securely attached and is unlikely to become detached by accident, and which is composed of parts of such form that they may be readily stamped from sheet metal, so that a device may be produced which is inexpensive to manufacture.

For an understanding of the means which I employ in carrying out the above objects, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is an edge elevation of a garment clasp made according to my invention, and shown in unlocked po-. sition. Fig. 2 is a central section on the line 2-2 oi Fig. 5, showing the parts in locked position. Fig. 3 is an end view of the clamping jaws in locked position. Fig. 4 is a back elevation of the clasp. Fig. 5 is a front elevation thereof.

As shown in the drawing, the device is composed of three pieces of sheet spring metal stamped out in different forms, said pieces comprising a pair of clamping members (Land 1) having clamping jaws a, b at their respective ends, oppositely disposed and cooperating with each other, and a locking member 0 having a cam portion 0 at one end, said parts a, b and a being connected side by side in their shank portions by an eyelet, or rivet d. The inner or base member a has a tongue a extending at right angles therefrom, said tongue being cut from the main part of the member and extended through an aperture 1) in the spring member 1), through a transverse, open ended slot 6* in the locking member 0, and then at right angles into engagement with the outer side of the locking member 0 adjacent its cam c. The opposite end of the locking member a from its cam c is bent to provide a hook c which is upturned and adapted to receive a ring a to which the garment supporter f is attached. As the tongue a fits tightly in the aperture b of the member I), it will be apparent that said tongue acts to prevent relative rotation of said clamp members a and b, but the slot 0 is arranged to permit locking member 0 to be turned to the right on the eyelet d as a pivot into the dotted position of Fig. 5. All the parts are preferably of spring metal and the member I) is set in such a form that, when the locking member a is swung out of engagement with the tongue a it will spring away from the member a LOWE, of Boston,

l l l l until it engages the end of the tongue a in which position the jaws will be fully opened, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

In attaching the clasp to the garment, the jaws a, b will be opened, as before described, and the garment will be inserted therebetwecn, and then the locking I n member a will be swung back into coincidence with the members, a, b. To permit the cam c to ride easily up onto the member b, the end of the cam which first engages the edge of the member b is inclined at c" to the side thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. As the member 0 is pressed inwardly it will pass beneath the tongue a and the latter will act to reinforce the member 0, and cause or assist in causing the latter to press the jaws together or into engagement with the garment which is inserted therebetween. As the tongue (1. is of spring metal-it acts to press the jaws a b yieldingly together, permitting said jaws to yield according to the thickness of the material engaged. In this position the parts are tightly locked together and there is no pressure or force which is likely to be applied to the locking member in ordinary use which would tend to push it to the side so as to liberate the jaws or permit them to become disengaged from the garment.

The hook 0 serves the double function of an attaching means for the supporter and a convenient handle for turning the locking member.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz- 1. A garment clasp comprising a pair of jaws, and means for locking them together comprising a tongue connected to one of said jaws, and extending transversely therefrom to the opposite side of the other jaw and longt tudinally of the latter to provide an engaging face, and a locking member movable independently of said jaws between said engaging face and the adjacent jaw to lock said jaws together, substantially as described.

A garment clasp comprising a pair of jaws, and means for locking them together comprising a tongue con nected to one of said jaws, and extending transversely therefrom to the opposite side of the other jaw and long-i tudinally of the latter to provide an engaging face, and a locking member having a wedge shaped portion adapted to be forced between said engaging face and the adjacent jaw to draw said jaws together and lock them in this position, substantially as described.

A garment clasp comprising a pair of jaws, and means for locking them together comprising a tongue connected to one of said jaws, and extending transversely therefrom to the opposite side of the other jaw and longitudinally of the latter to provide an engaging face, and an independent lockingmember pivotally connected to said jaws and adapted to swing on its pivot between said engaging face and the adjacent jaw to lock said jaws to gether, substantiallyas described.

-l. A garment clasp comprising a pair of clamp members connected at adjacent ends and having coacting jaws at their opposite ends, a tongue connected to one of said members and extending transversely thereof through the other member and then longitudinally thereof to provide an engaging face, and a locking member pivotally mounted at one end on said clamping members adjacent their connected ends and having a cam portion at its opposite end therefrom to the opposite side of the other jaw and longiadapted to be moved between said engaging face and the tudinally of the latter to provide an enga ing face a adjacent side of the adjacent clamp member, as it is swung locking member pivotally connected intermediate its ends on its pivot, to draw said jaws together, substantially as to said jaws and having an engaging portion at one end described. and a supporting hook at the other, said engaging portion 5. A garment clasp comprising a pair of clamp members being disposed to engage the face of said tongue and the and a locking member disposed at one side of said clamp adjacent clamping member to force said jaws together, members, a pivot connecting all of said members at ad substantially as described. jacent ends and said clamp members having coacting jaws 7. A garment clasp comprising a pair of jaws and and said locking member having a cam portion at their opmeans for locking them together comprising a transversely posite ends, the clamp member next the locking member extending projection connected to one of said jaws and having an aperture and said locking member having 21 having a transversely yielding tongue extending at an transverse slot leading to one edge thereof and registering angle thereto adjacent the outer side of the other jaw, with said aperture in certain positions of said locking memand a locking member movable independently of said jaws her, a tongue connected to the other clamp member and exbetween the last named jaw and said tongue to draw said tending through said aperture and longitudinally of said jaws together, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this between it and the adjacent clamp member as the locking specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

member is swung on its pivot, to cause said cam portion to draw said jaws together, substantially as described. FRANK LOWE- G. A garment clasp comprising a pair of jaws, and Witnesses: means for locking them together comprising a tongue c0n- L. H. HARn MAN,

nected to one of said jaws, and extending transversely H. B. DAVIS. 

